Down the Rabbit's Hole
by Suffering Angel
Summary: (30 Day OTP Challenge, Billy/Teddy - Day 15 - In a different clothing style) Having ties to the fashion world doesn't mean you get things for free. When Kate's called to return the debt she owes for getting the Young Avengers their new uniform, Teddy and Billy are the only two she can ask for help, even if there's bribery involved. At least they're into cosplay, she thought


I don't own YA.

A/N: 30 Day OTP Challenge, Day 15 - in a different clothing style. So I took their Steampunk style from Avengers Fairy-Tales #3 and tweaked with it.

* * *

The two teens stared in awe at their friend. Kate was practically beaming as she sat on the other end of the table from Teddy and Billy, with several flyers spread on the surface between them. The couple look from the flyers - bearing rather famous designs - up to Kate, and back again.

"Let me see if I got this straight." Billy requested and rested his elbows on the table so he could better speak with his hands. "You want us both to model for this guy, wearing who knows what, and potentially for _free_?"

Kate nodded.  
"Sounds about right, only you neglected the fact this guy's pretty famous, and people would kill to model for him.

"If so-" Teddy intervened. "Why _us_? If he can get anyone he wanted, why us?"

"Because he _wants_ you." Kate replied. "He says your figures are perfect for his vi-"

"_Figures_? As in three sizes?" Billy asked quite incredulously and exchanged looks with Teddy.

"How would he even _know_ that?" Teddy asked with a touch of concern, one Kate replied to with a grin.

"Of course he does, silly. He's the guy that made your new outfits."

The boys exchanged looks again, and Kate could see their resolve was wavering.

"It's why I'm even asking this of you. I owe him one - we all do."

That was one argument they couldn't rebuke, she knew, even when Billy opened his mouth to speak again. Knowing him, it was all too easy to predict what he'd ask about, and Kate was ready for it.

"I already talked to your mom."

He closed his mouth.

"She's alright with it so long as she gets final say about which pictures go where. And of course nothing _mature_."

Billy lowered his hands, too.

"That still doesn't solve the problem." Teddy said then, and made the two look at him. "How do we pull this off without basically telling him we're the ones he designed the outfits for? That we're Hulkling and Wiccan?"

Billy bit on his lower lip and turned to look at Kate worriedly. Kate still looked as smug as she did before.

"Give me _some_ credit, Ted. They think you're just reference models, and that I just…_donated_ the outfits."

"And people actually buy that?" Billy asked with obvious disbelief.

"They keep their mouths shut even if they don't, at least. No tabloid outed us yet, right?"

"I guess…"

"Oh, come on." Kate huffed and leaned forward a bit. "One day, that's all I'm asking for. And we'll have one boon less to owe."

"Yeah, but still…"

They were almost there, she could feel it, and moved to land the finishing blow.

"There's the Avengers Blu-Ray set in it for you if-"

"We'll do it!" Both exclaimed at the same time as they leaned forward, hands slamming against the table.  
For a moment Kate was almost startled, but then Billy's expression softened and he quirked his brows.

"Besides, can you imagine the look on Tommy's face over this?"

Kate laughed softly; Teddy covered his face with one hand and wrapped the other arm around Billy's shoulders.

–

The shooting took place the following weekend. The theme, which got both boys excited, was a steampunk variation of Alice in Wonderland, and they were having a hard time keeping their enthusiasm in check. Of course, being the fanboys they were, they had a hard time staying optimistic for that long.

"What if it's really kiddied or something?" Teddy asked fearfully.

"Or something weird, like, post-modernistic?" Billy added with a scrunched nose.

The two practically forced themselves to hold onto their low expectations, only to be pleasantly surprised once they saw the outfits designed for them.

"Victorian Steampunk, _nice_!"

They also came to appreciate even more how the outfits looked on them, or rather - on each other.

It took some effort and help from the staff on site, but Teddy finally managed to get into the elaborate outfit that was the Mad Hatter's attire. It consisted of a thin white button-up shirt that came under a yellow, sleeveless vest. Both the tailored pants and the heavy jacket were a dark, deep shade of gray, but the outfit was made a little less grim by the yellow gloves and shoes he wore. Accessory-wise, Teddy was given a decorated golden watch to fit in his breast pocket ("How else would you know you're late for tea?" Billy asked), and a hat that finally showed some actual Steampunk properties. It had several tubes running around its base before arching upwards into a chimney of sorts. Still clocks were sewn into the fabric, but still the Mad-Hatter's would-be trademark, the card with the numbers and the slash, was quite visible.

"Steam-powered clock-hat, huh. I'm ok with this." Teddy concluded before he studied the watch in his pocket. He was considering winding it, he thought before he blinked, an act after which he could've sworn the watch showed a different time. Teddy blinked again, and again the time changed, but this time he heard the muffled cackle that came from Billy's direction. Understanding what was going on, Teddy chuckled as well.

"Oh, swell, now we really _are_ late for tea." Teddy laughed lightly and blinked intentionally, amused by the odd sensation the watch's inability to decide on the time.

"Or early." Billy snickered and stepped out of his own dressing both. "Blink again, maybe now we'll actually be _on time_."

Well; this was cute, Teddy concluded as he took in the designer's vision for the March Hare.  
Billy's outfit at least seemed to be lighter than Teddy's, and - for the lack of a better term - was worn by a different social class. His outfit was also mostly black, with a long-sleeved button-up shirt and slightly puffy shorts that reached just below his knees. Running up from his black dress shoes were white socks that covered his legs completely before disappearing under the shorts. Over his shirt he wore a red vest similar to the one Teddy wore, and a small red bow-tie did little to actually hold the collar of his shirt together. The actual "Hare" part of the outfit was easy to spot, as two long bunny-like ears stood out from the sides of Billy's head, but what made Teddy quirk a brow wasn't quite how adorable it seemed (well, if you asked him, anyway), but the wings that sprouted from the ears' base. It was all held together by a metal plate that rested over Billy's forehead, and Teddy was taken aback by how much it resembled Billy's old Asgardian headpiece. At least, minus the hare-ears.  
Several Steampunk elements were also present, like the cog-shaped buttons, or the clock-pieces that covered the edges of Billy's sleeves, and served as cuffs.

"I know what you're thinking." Billy declared after he decided Teddy had enough time to look him over.  
"And the answer - is 'yes'."

Before Teddy could ponder what he was supposed to be thinking about, Billy turned around to reveal a tail the same color as his hare-ears attached to his backside.

"Why don't you ever dress up like this at home?" Teddy complained and stepped a bit closer.  
He thought, then, that they looked a bit like a sir and his young servant; was this part of the scenario, he wondered.

"Because _you're_ the shape-shifter." Billy replied quietly, thus bringing Teddy out of his thoughts.

"Well, at least you're easier to undress now." Teddy concluded with a thoughtful look. "No cape to get entangled in."

Billy snorted, and when next he looked at Teddy he had a touch of magical glow in his eyes.  
"Because undressing is _so_ hard."

Teddy didn't even manage to laugh; they were called to the set, and the shooting started, but not before-

"You guys _are_ together, right?"

"This can't mean anything good." Teddy muttered.

"Suck it, it's for the Blu-Ray collection."


End file.
